THE public could help Essex Police make a significant breakthrough if they can identify two people in fresh CCTV images.

The images show two people leaving a pathway which connects Castle Park to East Street between 4.29am and 4.43am on Saturday, March 29.

There are still six people in CCTV images - which were taken at Middle Mill - yet to be accounted for.

DCI Werrett admitted the quality of the fresh images is an issue, but said the public could still help.

He said: “The quality of the Middle Mill CCTV is good, and we’ve got six people left.

“Other CCTV images, I admit, are not as good but equally, the gait of the people in the images is clear and we’re looking for people to come forward saying, ‘yeah I know someone who walks like that’.”

Gazette:

Investigators have faced criticism because of the time it has taken to release the fresh images, but DCI Werrett warned against using TV crime shows as a barometer.

He said: “It takes time to get through the CCTV.

“We have seized 100 cameras’ footage and we have to watch that all in real time.

“During that, we need to identify our best options to focus on.

“We identified Middle Mill and now we have identified the other end of the park and that’s why these images have been released now.”

He added: “It could be a breakthrough, but we need the public’s help.

“I would say to people ‘if you can identify the people’ you could be part of a significant breakthrough.”

As well as CCTV images, detectives are also following forensic leads, which stem from hundreds of samples taken from the murder scene.

Last week 80 items were returned to detectives from the lab and another 45 items were sent.

DCI Werrett added: “It takes time for them to go through all the tests.

“There is no point taking everything to the lab all at once, but equally, we don’t know what will give us a final lead.”